Have you ever been frustrated when you put brand new batteries in a device, only to find out that it didn't work? Have a device that requires batteries, but have a hard time making out which end is + and which end is -? Microsoft, of all companies, is here to make your life easier with its newest tech: InstaLoad. Simply place the batteries in your device, and forget about which way each one should be facing. It really couldn't be any simpler, and to be honest I'm surprised that no one has come up with this before. The tech should work with most of your standard, cylindrical batteries (AA, AAA, C, D). Now if Windows and IE could "insta-load." [Mashable]

I fail to see how this is "dumbifying" people. As Bryan stated, this seems like a logical technology. Have you never used a digital camera at night and had to swap batteries, simply relying on your memory?

There, Their, They're.
Insta load those grammars. haha
I get what smith is driving at.
Convenience for the masses lets many fall through the cracks.
Now thats done, re-apply those minds to real issues...

Batteries are designed to put max capacity possible in the standardized form factor. This is a step backwards in battery tech, the last thing we need is to reduce device runtime so someone unable to deal with the simple things in life like batteries can suddenly shave a fraction of a second off battery reload time.
... if it's night-time and you can't see your device to load batteries, how did you find the batteries in the first place? NOW is the time to learn how to load batteries, just as you would have to learn to pick devices that use the new battery format which is yet another thing we don't need - another new battery format.